Universities and Colleges in New Zealand: Top Universities, Cost & Fees

New Zealand offers a world-class education, globally recognized qualifications, and skills that will last a lifetime. As per the QS World University Rankings, the majority of the universities in New Zealand are ranked in the top 3% of universities in the world. New Zealand has three types of institutes for higher education: Universities, Te Pukenga, and PTEs. In total, there are 8 public universities in New Zealand. Te Pukenga is the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology offering applied learning that gives you real-world experience. PTEs are private training establishments providing specialist programs focused on a career in your chosen industry.

New Zealand is one of the top destinations for international students going abroad for higher education. Currently, more than 8,000 Indian students are studying in New Zealand.

More than 20 talented Indian students have been granted the highly esteemed New Zealand Excellence Awards (NZEA) scholarships. The NZEA scholarship is crafted through a collaborative effort between Education New Zealand and all eight top-ranking universities in New Zealand. Also, these scholarships allow Indian students the opportunity to study in institutions that rank in the top 3 per cent globally according to the 2025 QS World University Rankings.

Universities in New Zealand: Highlights

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit among English-speaking countries, New Zealand is ranked #1 for preparing students for the future. Here we have given some highlights for New Zealand:

Parameter	Statistics
No. of Universities/PTEs in New Zealand	70 (approx.)
Annual Tuition Fees of Universities in New Zealand	INR 10 L - INR 40 L
Top Streams in New Zealand	Business, Science, Health, Aviation etc.
English Language Exams Required	IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, DET
Entrance Exams Required	GMAT

Why Study in New Zealand

New Zealand offers a world-class education that is globally recognized and widely accepted. New Zealand is world-famous for its spectacular scenic views, high-standard lifestyle and friendly people. All eight public universities in New Zealand are in the top 3% of universities in the world.

Post-Study Work Permits

International students who have completed their studies in New Zealand can apply for a post-study work visa. Note that this visa allows international students to stay and work in New Zealand for up to 3 years depending on their degree. Also, the post-study work permit in New Zealand costs around NZD 700 (INR 35,507) and 90% of the time the post-study work visa is processed within 31 weekdays.

Part-time Work Options

For international students, there are plenty of options for part-time work in New Zealand. International students in New Zealand can work in part-time jobs such as internships, Tutor, Cook, Waiter/Waitresses, Lab Technician, Retail Sales Assistants, etc.

Student Visa Fee in New Zealand: Visa Application Option and Cost

International students can apply for a student visa in offline and online mode to study at the universities in New Zealand. Overseas students applying for a student visa to New Zealand online, are required to pay a base visa fee of NZD 375 (INR 18 K). Meanwhile, international students who are applying online from New Delhi as the receiving centre are required to pay NZD 430 (INR 20.6 K).

Conversion Rate: 1 NZD = INR 48.13

Top Universities in New Zealand

The University of Auckland, the University of Otago, the University of Waikato, Massey University, and Victoria University of Wellington are some of the top-ranked universities in New Zealand, which are a part of the top 250 universities in the world. Given below is the list of the top 10 universities in New Zealand as per some of the top university ranking bodies:

University	QS World Ranking 2025	THE Ranking 2024
The University of Auckland	#65	#152
University of Otago	#214	#351-400
University of Waikato	#235	#401-500
Massey University	#239	#501-600
Victoria University of Wellington	#244	#401-500
The University of Canterbury ( Te Whare Wananga o Waitaha)	#261	#501-600
Lincoln University	#371	#501-600
Auckland University of Technology (AUT)	#412	#401-500

Best Universities in New Zealand for Engineering

As per the QS World University Rankings for Engineering & Technology, the top universities in New Zealand are:

University	QS Subject Ranking 2024
The University of Auckland	#129
The University of Canterbury	#316
Victoria University of Wellington	#401-500

Best Universities in New Zealand for Business & Management

As per the QS World University Rankings for Business & Management, the top universities in New Zealand are:

University	QS Subject Ranking 2024
The University of Auckland	#116
Auckland University of Technology	#301-500
University of Otago	#301-500
Victoria University of Wellington	#301-500
Massey University	#351-400
University of Canterbury	#351-400
University of Waikato	#401-450

Best Universities in New Zealand for Arts & Humanities

As per the QS World University Rankings for Arts & Humanities, the top universities in New Zealand are:

University	QS Subject Ranking 2024
The University of Auckland	#70
Victoria University of Wellington	#135
University of Otago	#228
University of Canterbury	#306
Massey University	#338
Auckland University of Technology	#401-450
University of Waikato	#401-450

Read more:

Top Ranked LLM Universities in New Zealand	Top Ranked M.A. Universities in New Zealand
Top Ranked MIM Universities in New Zealand	Top Ranked M.S. Universities in New Zealand

Top Cities in New Zealand

New Zealand is one of the most popular study-abroad destinations for higher education among international students and is home to two cities that rank among the top student cities. With the rank #24 and #79 in QS Best Student Cities Rankings 2025, Auckland and Christchurch, respectively are two of the best locations for overseas candidates.

City Name	QS Best Student City Rankings 2025
Auckland	#24
Christchurch	#79

Top Courses in New Zealand

Public universities in New Zealand offer several undergraduate and postgraduate programs to international students. International students can choose from an array of programs to study at New Zealand universities. Programs offered by universities in New Zealand:

Courses	Count of Universities
UG Diploma	61
PG Diploma	36
BE/BTech	23
BBA	22
MBA/PGDM	17
UG Certificate	17
MIM	16
BSc	15
MS	12
PG Certificate	11

Admission Requirements to Study in New Zealand

International students who are applying for courses at various universities in New Zealand are required to meet both the general and course-specific admission requirements. Listed below are the general admission requirements for international students at New Zealand universities:

• Academic transcripts of class XII
• Bachelor’s degree equivalent to a UG degree in New Zealand
• Completed application form
• English language proficiency
• Work experience (for MBA)

Entrance Exams Accepted by Universities in New Zealand

New Zealand universities accept various types of exam scores for English language proficiency and MBA admissions. Here are the exams accepted by universities in New Zealand:

Entrance Exam	Count of Universities
IELTS	70
TOEFL	48
PTE	43
DET	5
GMAT	1

English Language Requirements by New Zealand Universities

New Zealand is a native English-speaking country, therefore, international students whose first language is not English are required to prove their English language proficiency. Here is the minimum English language requirement for the universities in New Zealand:

Entrance Exam	Count of Universities
IELTS	71
TOEFL	49
PTE	41
DET	2

Cost of studying in New Zealand

On average, the cost of studying in New Zealand might be a little expensive for international students as the tuition fees of the top-ranking universities are on the higher end. However, about 90% of the universities in New Zealand have an annual tuition fee under INR 10 L, which makes them ideal study-abroad options.

First-Year Tuition Fee Range	Count of Universities
Up to INR 10 L	59
INR 10 - 20 L	9
INR 20 - 40 L	2
More than INR 40 L	2

Cost of Living in New Zealand

New Zealand is a popular choice among students all around the globe even though its cost of living is quite heavy on the pocket. On average, the monthly cost of living in New Zealand for international students ranges between NZD 1,715 (INR 82.5 K). However, the expenses are very subjective, depending on the lifestyle and purchasing power of the student residing and studying in a university in New Zealand.

Particulars	Average Monthly Expenditure	Monthly Living Expenses in New Zealand (in INR)
Housing Rent (1 Bedroom Rent)	NZD 430 - NZD 490	INR 20.6 K - 23.5 K
Food Expenses (Grocery)	NZD 200 - NZD 250	INR 9.6 K - 12 K
Public Transportation (Bus Pass and Metro Card)	NZD 170 - NZD 200	INR 8.1 K - 9.6 K
Phone and Internet Network	NZD 100	INR 4.8 K
Clothing	NZD 200 - NZD 300	INR 9.6 K - 14.4 K
Health Expenses	NZD 50 - NZD 100	INR 2.4 K - 4.8 K
Day-to-day Necessities	NZD 50	INR 2.4 K
Miscellaneous Expenses	NZD 100 - NZD 200	INR 4.8 K - 9.6 K

Conversion Rate: 1 NZD = INR 48.13

Top Scholarships in New Zealand

New Zealand universities offer numerous scholarships to international students. Besides, the scholarships given by the universities, there are several external funding agencies that offer generous scholarships and financial aid for international students.

University Name	Name of Scholarship	Amount Offered
Massey University	Massey University International Undergraduate Excellence Scholarships	NZD 30,000 (INR 1.4 L)
University of Auckland	University of Auckland India High Achievers Scholarship	NZD 20,000 (INR 9.6 )

Universities and Colleges in New Zealand are some of the best and top-rated institutions of higher education in the world. Each year thousands of students from all over the world apply for various universities in New Zealand. New Zealand offers an affordable living cost and excellent work-life balance. Also, there are several scholarships available for international students at various levels.

Anushree Sinha02-14-2024 22:36